Future of Food: Journal on Food

Palm oil supply and demand characteristics and behavior: A system dynamics approach

M Zabid M Faeid
LDepartment of Decision Sciences, School of Quantitative Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia
Norhaslinda Zainal Abidin
LDepartment of Decision Sciences, School of Quantitative Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia
Shri Dewi Applanaidu
LDepartment of Economics and Agribusiness, School of Economics, Finance and Banking, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia

Like other commodities, palm oil is characterized by common commodity cycles in the market. However, in this study, we argue that the palm oil market has distinctive traits compared to other commodity markets with regard to the cobweb theorem by elaborating on the characteristics of the Malaysian palm oil market and its basic underlying behavior. In an attempt to understand the behavior of the industry, researchers had been changing the paradigm of modelling the palm oil market by using the operationally-based modelling approach (like system dynamics - SD-) rather than the observationally-based modelling approach (like econometrics). Thus, we propose a basic SD model of the palm oil market based on the Malaysian palm oil industry and tested its capability to replicate the real situation in the palm oil market. Five placeholder variables are included in the model to represent the exogenous factors influencing the key variables. Findings from the simulation-based run show that the palm oil market produces a fluctuating pattern of its key variables ceteris paribus, as suggested in cobweb theorem. For future works, further disaggregation of the key variables and exogenous factors is possible, thus adding model complexity in order to achieve specific objectives. This study contributes by setting up the fundamental structure of the market model for palm oil and other similar commodities.

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Myanmar High School Students’ Perceptions of College and International Readiness in Western Society

Mark Speckien
Louisiana Tech University
Mark Speckien
Louisiana Tech University
International students are more likely to experience mental health issues and increased stress. Mental health is often surrounded by negative societal stigmas that act as barriers to seeking support and tend to lead to greater mental health concerns. International students tend to seek socioemotional support from other international student peers rather than seeking out counseling services. However, this study shows that LGBTQIA+ international students were less likely to seek socioemotional support from other international student peers due to fear of their sexual orientation being discovered and their families finding out about their identity. This study examines how LGBTQIA+ international students talk about their experiences on and off campus in relations to their socioemotional well-being. Specifically, this study sought to better understand the complexities of LGBTQIA+ students’ identities, and the challenges they faced in terms of their socioemotional well-being. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Keywords : international students, socioemotional well-being, mental health, identity development, intersectionality, LGBTQIA